Out of Your Life
by BregoBeauty
Summary: Lisa takes a day trip following the Lux Atlantic explosion. On her way home, she runs into an old foe under new circumstances. Will they ever be rid of each other?
1. Prologue

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Summary:** Lisa takes a day trip following the Lux Atlantic explosion. On her way home, she runs into an old foe under new circumstances. Will they ever be rid of each other?

**Prologue**

**Miami, Floridia**

Dawn was breaking in Miami as Lisa Reisert stepped on the coach bus bound for Jacksonville, Florida. It was about six hours away and near the border between Florida and Georgia. Had she planned on staying overnight, then she would have traveled into Georgia. But as it was, she only needed a short break anywhere except Miami.

The name of the city bothered her slightly but what better place to overcome her fears of travel? After all, what were the chances of a recovering assassination manager named Jackson Rippner pestering her on a coach bus?

Lisa settled down into her seat on the aisle, gratefully that the bus was not full and that there was no one sitting beside her. The bus was claustrophobic enough without sharing a row with someone. _At least I'll get over my fear of cramped spaces…_

She turned on her iPod and drowned out the sounds of the passengers around her as the bus began to roll onward and outward towards Jacksonville. _I'll be fine…_

_After all, it'll never happen again. He's probably lying dead in a ditch somewhere… He's gone from my life. He can't hurt me again._

With a sigh, she relaxed and drifted off to sleep; the motion of the bus lulling her to close her eyes and enjoy her well deserved break.

**Author's Notes:**

Just a quick intro to the infamous coach bus story. Enjoy!


	2. Chapter One

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter One**

**Fort Lauderdale, Florida **

After nearly forty minutes on the bus, Lisa suddenly jumped in her seat. Her frightened green eyes popped open as the coach bus soared over a large pothole.

_I'm not on a plane,_ she reminded herself. _There is no turbulence on a bus._

Still, she glanced towards her right at the empty seat and to her left as well. There was no one beside her. She was not still trapped on plane 30,000 feet above the ground with her father's life in jeopardy. Five months had past, yet the nightmare was as vivid as if Jackson were still beside her.

_ I can't let this rule my life. I have to move on._

**Jacksonville, Florida**

Jackson Rippner rubbed the sleep from his bright blue eyes. The early morning sun in combination with his alarm clock had woken him from his deep, restful sleep. Today was his last day in Jacksonville before he relocated to Miami for a quick visit. He preferred living down south, but he had to switch locations every few months to avoid his former employers.

Everyone was still out for his blood even though it had been five months ago that he had failed the Keefe job.

Walking into the adjoining bathroom, he peered into the mirror after splashing a few handfuls of cold water onto his face. An angry red scar glared back at him; a constant reminder of _her_ and his failure.

_Damn you, Lisa. All you had to do was make the phone call and we could have been happy. Instead, you had to screw things up…_

Jackson stalked out of the bathroom and shuffled back into his room. He carefully dressed in his relaxed casual clothes—jeans, a plain t-shirt, sneakers, and a pair of concealing shades—and finished packing his suitcase. He was not leaving right away, but it never hurt to prepare for a quick dash.

Stealing a peek at his watch, Jackson grumbled. He had an entire day to waste before his bus came. After the red-eye, he had become sick of flying, plus he did not feel like being stuck beside a stranger. At least the bus would not be as crowded and he would not have to go through security. He had a sneaking suspicion that he was on the do-not-fly list because of his 'suspected terrorist involvement'.

_If anyone is a terrorist, it's Lisa. Bitch stabbed me with a pen and a shoe..._

Still, he had to admire her spunk. Not many people would have decided to fight back and even less of them would still be alive and kicking. Except Lisa…she had won her freedom from him. He had no desire to bother her again.

Sometimes he was filled only with anger and contempt at her for what she had, yet other times he almost _missed_ her. She had been a major part of his life until flight 1019 and it was strange to no longer watch her.

Of course, feeling sorry for her didn't help. _She just had to tell me her sob story right before she stabbed me… had to make me feel bad._

Jackson shook his head clear of thoughts of Lisa and headed out of his hotel room and into the early morning sun. He might as well enjoy one last day on the town. Thinking about Lisa all day certainly wouldn't help him.

**Daytona Beach, Florida**

Four and a half hours into the bus ride, Lisa was becoming motion-sick. She had fallen asleep for a great portion of the ride, but she was very much looking forward to getting off the bus. The novelty had worn off within about an hour.

The coach bus reminded her far too much of the plane and of Jackson. The cramped space, the bathroom light—it was too much for her. She had yet to dare enter the bathroom for fear that when she moved to open the door _he'd_ be standing there.

_What is it going to take to forget you?_

**Author's Notes:**

Still setting up the plot—hopefully it will become more exciting soon! Enjoy and thanks for the reviews!


	3. Chapter Two

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Two**

**Jacksonville, Florida – Bus Stop**

Lisa stepped off the coach bus and uttered a loud yawn. She was exhausted despite having spent most of the trip asleep. Her nerves were getting the best of her and the day had yet to begin.

Every where she turned she could swear she saw Jackson or a possible associate. She had yet to find a place where she felt comfortable.

She slipped her hand into her purse and felt the reassuring cold metallic weapon. Her slim fingers silently stroked the gun that she carried and soothed her frazzled nerves. If she ever ran into him again, at least she could best him at his own game with less effort than before.

**Jacksonville, Florida – Street**

Jackson Rippner blended into the swiftly moving crowd. It felt refreshing to be able to go for a calm jaunt through the city. The majority of the past few months had been spent on recovery from his various wounds. He had finally gotten over his conspicuous limp and now walked normally.

At least as normally as someone packing a sharp knife on their hip could. He never went anywhere without the trusty blade anymore. He would not put it past the people after him to try and kill him in broad daylight. He was on his own and it was up to him to keep himself alive.

The name of his latest job was survival and he was going to succeed.

**Jacksonville, Florida – Shopping Area**

Two and a half hours of shopping had worn Lisa out even further. She gave up on walking and cursed her choice of shoes. The old adage, "no pain, no gain" was fresh in her mind but she also knew that with the pain came added protection. After all, she had wounded Jackson with a high-heel and bought herself extra time to retrieve a suitable weapon.

She ripped the high-heels from her feet and rested them against the cool concrete. She sighed and tried to relax her tense muscles. Her entire body ached and she knew it was because of all the tension that accompanied her. Lisa was always alert and with it came the pain of worn-out and tight muscles.

She closed her eyes for a moment and let heat from the sun fill her body with warmth. She drifted off as she softly repeated her therapist's relaxation technique and followed it. As always, the relaxation pulled her into a light sleep.

**Jacksonville, Florida – Bus Stop**

Lisa was the first person back on the bus. Even after her nap in the sun, she was still sleepy. After placing her bags in the overhead compartment, she relaxed in her seat and pulled her newly purchased jacket tighter around her body. The temperature was dropping and dusk had come.

With a content sigh, she curled up and closed her eyes once more.

**Jacksonville, Florida – Street**

Jackson picked up the pace. He could see the coach bus—his ticket to a quick and easy escape down South—and was eager to be on the road. He was still a few minutes early, but he preferred being early to being late. There were less people wandering around now and that meant that he was at a higher risk of being spotted.

He stepped onto the bus and handed his ticket to the driver before heading towards the back for a seat. There were a few other people on the bus already, and one of them was already asleep. He stopped for a moment, worried that it was a gunman lying in wait to shoot him, and peeled back the jacket.

Jackson jumped back, startled as the features of Lisa Reisert came into sharp focus even under the dim reading lights of the coach bus. After all these months, she was here—in the flesh—the woman of his dreams and subsequent nightmares.

He watched her chest rise and fall. _It would be so easy to slice her throat right now, or twist her little neck. I could cover her back up with the jacket and no one would ever know the difference. She wouldn't feel a thing…_

"Hey, do you mind getting out of the aisle?" asked a grumpy voice from behind him.

Jackson straightened up and pulled the jacket back over Lisa.

"Not at all," he said with a false smile and a cold stare before sliding into the seat in the row beside Lisa's.

The man glared at the ex-manager and continued down the aisle. He turned to face Lisa again.

She looked like an angel when she was asleep—a look he had almost forgotten. Most of his memories of Lisa contained her fierce attitude and her anger directed at him. He had forgotten that she looked helpless and vulnerable at times.

_I'm just going to watch over her… make sure that no one takes advantage of her,_ he thought to himself.

But deep inside, he knew that he had other reasons and it had nothing to do with her safety.

**Author's Notes:**

So sorry about the insanely long wait. I got wrapped up in my other story and then my life ran away with my writing time and it all fell apart. I'm still picking up the pieces, but working is one of the best things I can do right now. Enjoy and thanks for reading/reviewing!


	4. Chapter Three

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Three**

**St. Augustine, Florida**

Nearly an hour after Jackson had gotten on the bus, Lisa began to finally stir. He tried to act composed and to remain facing forward, but he found it increasingly distracting. He wanted to see her face—to stare into her green eyes as she came to and realized that he was sitting there. At the same time, he did not want to scare her too much.

"Mhmm," Lisa mumbled, straightening in her seat. She rubbed her eyes; the jacket falling off her slender body.

Jackson's fingers twitched inside his jacket as they reached for the KA-BAR strapped on his hip. He always had to expect the unexpected with Lisa. He had learned his lesson on the red-eye and the events following it.

"Hello," she said pleasantly to him. "I don't remember seeing you here earlier. Are you heading home?"

"As a matter of fact, I am, Leese," he said with a sinister grin, turning to face her and carefully showing her the blade that he carried. Lisa froze in shock; her eyes darting in every direction as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Jackson," she croaked; her voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Miss me, Leese? It must have been so hard on you—trying to get by on your own. If you hadn't stabbed me, then I would have stolen you and life would have been much better."

"What do you want with me? Haven't you done enough?" Lisa asked, her voice slowly gaining confidence.

"Ssh, Lisa, we don't want to bother our neighbors with our little quarrel, now do we?" teased Jackson, sliding closely to her, stretching his body across the aisle to whisper in her ear. "Now slide over."

"No," she said firmly, holding her ground.

His hands found her arm and tightened. "Move into the next seat, Leese, or I'll snap your arm in two."

Lisa looked into his cold eyes and knew that he would do as he threatened without a second thought. He was simply beyond caring at this point. She had hurt him and now he was doing his best to hurt her in return.

She acquiesced and moved into the window seat, mentally berating herself for having lowered her guard enough for him to slip onto the bus beside her. This vacation was supposed to be an escape from him and all the trouble he had caused, but now he was once again sitting beside her as she had always feared.

"What's wrong now, Lisa?" he demanded, grabbing her chin as she tried to look away from him. "Scared? You should be."

"Why do you always have to be a jerk?" she hissed, daring to reach out and slap him across the face.

He dropped her chin and grabbed her wrist with his left hand and dug his nails into the sensitive skin. Lisa yelped and Jackson delivered a stinging slap to her face as well. With her free hand, she reached up and touched the reddening flesh on her cheek, shocked at his audacity.

"When are you going to learn to listen?" Jackson scolded her, his face pressing closer to hers. "You need to stop trying to fight me. It won't get you anywhere."

"Last time it got me away from _you_. If I remember correctly, _you_ weren't going anywhere fast…"

"That was just a lapse of judgment. Things are different now."

Lisa snorted. "Like I really believe that, Jack."

Jackson dug his nails into her wrist again, drawing pinpricks of blood this time.

"Lisa, Lisa, what do I keep telling you?"

"You haven't told me anything. Now, what the hell do you want from me?"

Jackson made a funny sound in his throat—a half-laugh, half-snort mixture. "What I want is for you to do _exactly_ as I say—"

"I'm not going to roll over and play dead, if that's what you want," hissed Lisa.

He smacked her. "You are going to pretend that we're a couple and we might just both be able to get off this bus alive."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'd say that there's a bomb on the bus, but that's too unreliable. There's something fishy about this entire situation. After all, what are the odds that I'd end up having this lovely chat with you?"

"Stalking me again, Jackson? How sweet of you," Lisa said with a falsely sweet tone and equally fake smile.

"If only it were that simple."

"What—" Lisa began but was cut off by a sharp cracking sound and the bus swerving on the road.

Jackson and Lisa were tossed around in their seats and Jackson ended up loosing his grip on her to keep himself from sailing into the aisle. Lisa fell forward and cracked her head on the plastic cup holder. She slipped into a crumpled heap on the floor and took one last look at Jackson before the pressing darkness consumed her.

**Author's Notes:**

Just a short chapter! There's probably only going to be five chapters total with an epilogue. It should be finished by Friday. I finally figured out what's going to happen and I need to finish it before I lose it. Thanks for reading/reviewing!


	5. Chapter Four

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Four**

**St. Augustine, Florida**

Jackson wiped a trickle of blood from his head as he slowly repositioned himself in his seat. His dazed eyes looked around and finally spotted Lisa slumped on the floor in front of her seat; unmoving.

"Shit," he cursed, wiping his bloody hand on the seat.

The speakers crackled to life and the driver's voice came on. "I'm sorry about that jolt back there, folks. I would appreciate it very much if you would please remain seated and on the board while I inspect the bus. I think it's only a flat."

Jackson watched the driver and his assistant get off the bus. Then he waited; his ears open and carefully attuned to any and all sounds from outside.

Five sharp cracks sounded then the people looking out the windows began to scream.

Gunfire.

Jackson knelt down beside Lisa and tried to wake her. "Come on, Leese!" he hissed, shaking her roughly.

She was non-responsive. He uttered a curse under his breath.

Another crack. The following hiss of air. They were shooting out the rest of the tires now.

Jackson pulled Lisa up and cradled her against his chest. He snatched up her purse as well and half-dragged her down the aisle.

"Excuse me. I need to get in the bathroom!" he called. "My wife's hurt!"

"You heard the driver—stay in your seat, young man!" scolded an elderly lady.

Lisa moaned in Jackson's arms; finally beginning to stir.

"Leese, honey, wake up," he said softly, patting her cheek. He was acting gentle for the benefit of the crowd. Had they been alone, he would have slapped her soundly to wake her.

Her green eyes remained tightly closed.

"Get out of my way!" he snarled at the remaining passengers blocking his way down the aisle.

Still holding tightly to Lisa, he rudely shoved his way through the crowd to the bathroom. He locked the flimsy door and bent low on the floor after collecting a damp paper towel from beside the sink. He shielded their bodies with his back as he worked to revive Lisa.

Several more groans and her eyes fluttered. Groggily, she said, "What—?"

"Ssh, Leese, we have to be quiet. They're here."

"Who?"

"Why, my dear Lisa, it's our killers."

That's when gunfire and screams erupted on board the coach bus.

Bullets sprayed into the top of the bathroom and Lisa shrieked. Jackson covered her mouth with his hand and shot her a dirty look. Suddenly, a blast knocked him forward and Lisa's wide eyes caught sight of the hole in his back; blood pouring out of it.

Voices floated to her and all of a sudden someone was banging on the bathroom door. Jackson was lying across her lap, bleeding to death from a bullet and the rest of the bus was silent. It was very clear that she was next on the hit list.

Her disoriented eyes searched for a weapon—any type of weapon would do. Then she saw her purse. She grabbed it and yanked out the gun.

With a kick, the lock gave way and Lisa placed the intruder in the sights of her gun and fired.

**Author's Notes:**

A very quick, cliffie-type chapter. Thanks for reading/reviewing! Only one more chapter and maybe an epilogue.


	6. Chapter Five

**Out of Your Life**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to _Red Eye_!

**Chapter Five**

**St. Augustine, Florida**

As soon as the black-clothed figure appeared in the doorway, his high-powered rifle pointed at her, Lisa fired. One, two, three rounds fled her gun and the assassin fell down; his rifle letting a spray of bullets intended for her body hit the ceiling. His accomplice hurried towards her and she yanked the trigger three more times, suddenly eternally grateful for having spent plenty of time at a firing range learning how to use her small handgun.

With a sigh, she lowered her smoking gun and checked on Jackson. His breathing was shallow and his blue eyes were half-closed.

"Nice shot," he half-smiled.

"I blame it all on you."

"I know. So sorry, Leese…"

"Jackson, stop it. You're not dying. You're too much of a pain in the ass for that to happen."

"Sorry," he wheezed and with a shuddering breath, closed his eyes.

Lisa froze. For several months she had wanted this, but he was not supposed to die this way. He was supposed to die by her hand, not by trying to protect her. They were supposed to be enemies.

Yet he had dragged her to safety and brought to her a weapon that saved her life. How had he known what was happening? How had he known that she carried a gun in her purse? How…?

There were too many unanswered questions. Too many strange occurrences.

"You always leave me to clean up your messes," she scolded him, disentangling his long hair. "Why, Jackson?"

The silence was deafening. Lisa finally took a deep breath and dialed 911 on her cell phone. It was time to clean up his mess and her life.

**Miami, Florida**

Less than a month following the massacre, the last body was being laid to rest.

Twenty passengers on the bus had been brutally slaughtered in order for the assassins to reach Lisa and Jackson—the lone targets of the attack. The fact that they had both ended up on the same bus at the same time was not random. It was carefully planned.

The investigation had proven that Jackson and Lisa had both been followed for several weeks prior and that Jackson's flight to Miami had been aligned with Lisa's trip. The assassins pushed circumstances into their favor and planned to take out both of them at the same time.

Lisa Reisert, the solitary survivor, stood beside a recently filled grave and paid her final respects to the man who had perhaps unknowingly—maybe intentionally—saved her life.

No one had come forward to claim Jackson's body. He was to have been cremated and his ashes discarded to unknown places. At the end, Lisa stepped in and demanded a proper burial for her former captor. She had paid all the expenses and it was her alone who watched as the workers had lowered the gleaming casket into the earth and carefully covered it with dirt. It was now her who stood beside the grave.

"It's been strange knowing that you're gone for good. I was so used to looking over my shoulder for you. I was convinced after the flight that you were always there watching me. But now I know you aren't behind me. Maybe you are still watching me, but I don't know."

She sighed deeply and hung her head.

"I just wanted to say thank you. You saved me and I don't know why. I guess I'll never know."

A warm breeze caressed her cheek and she closed her eyes for a brief moment as a smile crossed her face. Then it ended and she bit her lip, reality sinking in.

"Good-bye, Jackson. It's time for me to finally move on."

She bent down and placed a single rose at the foot of the recently erected headstone. Then she stood up and slowly walked away into the afternoon sun, prepared to face another day on her own, her inner strength growing every day.

**Author's Notes:**

Well, that's all. I hope everyone enjoyed it. It changed a lot from what I had originally planned, but this short story seemed to have turned out rather well. Thanks for reading/reviewing! The prologue for my next story, _Steal My Life_, will be up later tonight!


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